Improvement in portable fare-boxes



WILLIAM L. MAY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN PORTABLE FARE-BOXES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 116,466, dated June 27, 1871.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM L. MAY, of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Fare-Boxes; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawingmaking part of this specication, in which- Figure is an elevation of the entire box. Fig. 2 is a sectional view endwise through the middle of the box, showing portions of the mechanism used in operating it. Fig. 3 is a sectional view lengthwise through the middle of the box, and at right angles with the view shown in Fig. 2, also showing other parts of the mechanism used in operating the box.

The same letters in all the iigures are used to represent the same parts.

My invention relates to improvement in fareboxes; and consists in the arrangement of val ves or hinged leaves in connection with the stationary platforms ofthe box, as hereinafter described.

In Fig. 1, A is a box made of any suitable material, having a wedge-shaped top, H Hf, in the edge or apex of which is inserted a hopper, D, through which the fare is dropped, and is received on the platform E. The lower edges of hopper are serrated, as shown, in order to prevent the withdrawal of any article through the hopper. In each face of the wedge-shaped top is inserted a strong clear glass pla-te, G, (one only being shown in Fig. 1,) through which any article dropped on the platform is distinctly visible to both the passenger and collector, who holds the box by the handle B. The ends of the wedge-shaped top may also be of glass, as, shown in Fig. 2, G G. The interior of the box is divided into two parts by the platform or table E, a plane parallel to the bottom of the box, and at a suitable distance below the top. The platform E is divided into two parts, each of which turns on pivots b Il', Figs. 2 and 3, placed in the sides of the box. The box is provided with a handle, B, by which it is held, and above which is placed a thumb-piece, C, vibrating on a pivot, c, in the side of the box, as shown in Fig. 2. The long arm of the thumbpiece extends under the platform E, and is connected with the interior arm of each half of the platform by the vibrating links d el', turning on 'the pivot Iin the end of the long arm of the thumb-piece C, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The thumb-piece is held down in its proper stationary position by a suitable spring, L, Fig. 2. On the top of the platform E is a thin fiat piece of metal, as wide as the platform, and of a suitable length. This piece of metal is divided into two leaves, F F', which are joined together by a hinge-joint, q g, Fig. 1. One of these leaves is firmly attached to one ofthe leaves of the vibrating platform E', the joints g g being placed in such a position that when the platform is raised to its highest position the joint g g of the metallic leaves will forni the apex of the wedge thus formed, as shown in Fig. 3 by the dotted lines. The other metallic leaf, being free, slides over the leaf E and covers the opening caused by the separation of the platform-leaves E E', and keeps the sides ofthe wedge formed by the elevation of the platform of a symmetrical shape. The links connecting the long arm of the thumb-piece with leaves E E of the platform, turning on the pivot I, assume the position shown in Fig. 3 by the dotted lines at O. Beneath the platform E E', supported 011 the sides of the box at N N', is a second platform, of metal, M, as long as theinterior ofthe box, the sides of which are bent` down to such an angle with the flat portion of the platform M that any article placed upon it will at once slide olf. These lower edges thus formed have attached to them, by a hin ge-j oint, two metallic iiaps or valves, it, which swing freely. Two metallic fia-ps or valves, c e', are also placed in the ends of the box, and swing freely on a joint located a-t a suitable point to cause them to operate properly with the other valves i i. When the box is in an upright position these valves offer no resistance to the free passage into the apartment P, but hang down, as represented at e c z' t', Fig. 8; but the instant the position of the box is changed, or should it be inverted, the leaves or valves assume positions varying with the position of the box, and represented by the dotted lines, and in every case preventing the withdrawal of anything from the apartment P. The bottom is hinged to the box, (see S S,) and provided with a hasp, u, and staples t t', or other suitable arrangement by which it can be securely locked.

Having thus minutely described the construction of my invention, I will proceed to show how it is operated. The collector, the handle rmly in one hand, placing his thumb on the thumbpiece, as seen in Fig. l at C, presents it to the passenger, who drops his fare through the hopper D onto the platform E, where it lies plainly7 visible to both persons, and, when assured of its correctness, the collector' presses his thumb upon the thumb-piece; this causes the elevation of the long arm of the thumb-piece, and with it the leaves ofthe platform E E', on which the fare lies. The moment the platform is elevated the fare slides oft of the platform, through the iiaps or valves e e i i', into the receptacle P, from which it can only be taken by the person possessing the key to the loek. The moment the conductor releases the pressure upon the thumb-piece the platform assumes its original position and is ready for another fare.

1t is intended, in order to guard against fraud, that each passenger shall deposit his or her fare,

Witnesses:

C. A. RODNEY, 0. M. RODNEY. 

